Steps to Fix a Bad Google Review

So you got a bad Google review (or Facebook, or Yelp, or whatever else). Now what?
First step: DON’T PANIC. Stay absolutely still. Don’t even blink. Don’t…move…a muscle…
Wait—that’s in case of a T-Rex attack, my bad. But the same principle applies. Don’t panic, or try to run away,
or fight back. You will get eaten.
It’s a business owner’s nightmare—you put your time, blood and sweat into the company you built from
scratch, and one day, POOF! Your hard-earned reputation is tarnished by one grumpy customer with a chip on
their shoulder. Not only that, but positive reviews are part of Google’s search algorithm, and it pulls not just
Google reviews, but Facebook, Yelp, and other review platforms. That means one disgruntled person—
depending on how may reviews you have—can tank your rankings.
BUT WAIT.
There are ways to minimize the damage to your company’s credibility and your website’s SEO, and help
ensure customer satisfaction. Whenever any of my clients get a negative review, I always recommend they
take these 5 simple steps:
Don’t panic
Evaluate the situation
Respond quickly
If the review is fake, flag it for removal (If you already know you want to remove a fake Google review, skip
ahead to this section. If you want to remove a fake Facebook review, watch a video on how to do it here.)
Rectify the situation
Stay on top of it
Never—and I repeat, never—has this process failed me. Below you’ll find quick instructions to take you
through each step. Breeze through these babies and never pay for a customer’s bad day again!
1. So You Got a Negative Review. Don’t Panic (or lash out)
A bad or fraudulent Google or Yelp review may make you want to give that person a piece of your mind or
grab the nearest sharp object and take a short drive. It’s extremely important that you don’t do either of those
things. A bad review isn’t the end of the world—every company has gotten at least one.
Some research has even indicated that bad reviews increase sales, and there’s the time-tested belief that no
publicity is bad publicity. So take a deep breath, calm down, and proceed to step two.
2. Evaluate the Situation
The first problem you need to solve is if the review is real. Fraudulent reviews are sometimes left by
competitors or even randos you’ve never met. Here’s an example of a fraudulent review a client of mine
recently got:
a fake review on social media
After receiving a bad review, check your records to see if that person really is, in fact, a customer. It turned out
this guy was not.
If they are a previous customer, look at what they bought. Look at the time frame of service. Listen to the
customer service calls. The more you know about the situation, the better equipped you are to handle it, and
prevent it from happening in the future.
3. Respond to Negative or Fake Reviews Quickly
how to remove a fake google review and how to respond to bad google reviews
Even if you know the bad review was fake, you need to respond. Here’s why:
Remember, you’re not only pacifying the reviewer, you’re showing prospects how you respond to customer
dissatisfaction.
Regardless of the type of negative review you got, respond quickly. Prompt action shows prospects that you’re
committed to customer service. The majority of people who read your reviews are people interested in what
you’ve got to sell. You not only need to make the complaining customer happy, but assure future customers
that the same issue won’t happen to them.
If someone left a fraudulent review—i.e. they’ve never been to your restaurant, used your product, or used
your services:
Address the complaint and apologize for the dissatisfaction
State you can’t seem to find them in your records as having been a previous customer
Offer to fix their situation and give them contact information
Flag or report the review as fraudulent
*Even if you flagged the review, prospects may still see it, or it may not be removed—this is why you ALWAYS
respond.

If someone wasn’t satisfied with your service/product:

Address their complaint, and own up to it, even if it’s only half-true or 1 percent true.
Don’t make excuses—excuses are like assholes: we all have one and they all stink.
If there is a legitimate reason why the service/product they received was perceived as sub-par, be honest
about it, and assure it won’t happen in the future.
Offer to fix the problem
4. If It’s a Fake Google Review You Want to Remove, Flag or Dispute it
Google allows you to flag reviews that are fake so they can remove them. Here’s how:
Open Google Maps and search for your business.
Click to see all your reviews, and find the one you want to flag
how to flag a bad google review as fake
Click on the three vertical dots in the upper-right corner of the review, then click “Flag as inappropriate.”
how do i delete a google review? remove a google review
how to remove bad reviews from Google
It doesn’t stop there, either. You have two more options to escalate the issue:
Call Google and follow up on your flagged review status. Go to your Google My Business home page. At the
bottom of the menu on the left-hand side there should be an option for support. Click it.
how to remove a bad google review and ask for support
Get legal. If the review can be counted as slander and false, you DO have an option to fill out a Google form for
a legal removal request. The requirements for these are pretty high, so grab your nearest legal professional
before you go this route.
5. Rectify the Situation—Even If It’s Hard Work
When I tell a business owner they need to change the way they do things, it’s usually met with grinding teeth
and a panicked look. I get it. Changing ANYTHING about the way you do business can be stressful—but in this
instance, it’s worth it. If you keep getting negative reviews, or have gotten more than a couple, it’s not them—
it’s you. Yes, there are cases when an angry review isn’t really about you or the company at all—maybe the
customer just had a bad day.
But those times that there was a hiccup in service or a failing product, you need to make a solid effort to fix it.
Whether that means better customer service representative training, firing an employee, rewording offers on
your website—if you aren’t satisfying your customers, you have bigger problems.
6. Stay on Top of Your Negative Review
Was that fraudulent one ever flagged? Was it removed? Did you redo that customer’s service? Did you refund
them?
Staying on top of what happens can actually turn your bad review into a good review. For example, if a
customer was unhappy with a service and you came right back and fixed it, that customer may change their
review from negative to positive with a little nudging. We’ve seen that happen NUMEROUS times. Most of the
time, people leaving a bad review just want their sh** fixed, and want you to be nice about it. It’s not
uncommon for people to change a 1-star review to a 4-star after the owner shows a little common decency.
examples of reviews on Facebook and google
If the review is on a platform that doesn’t allow for changes, they might leave you another one.
Avoid a Bad Review Google, Yelp, Facebook, and Other Directories
Negative reviews are usually drowned out by positive ones, so make an effort to get as many reviews as you
can. However—the best response to a negative review is to not get one. Tighten up your customer service.
Spend a little extra on training for your employees.
If responding to negative reviews wasn’t in your business plan, give me a call at Blue Corona. Not only do we
offer online marketing services, we also offer amazing customer service representative training, and we will
craft custom responses to every negative review your company gets.
Dated 11th Aug 2020
NOTE
Sub: Google Review Dated 10th Aug’20 - Reg
There was a bad google review posted on 10-9-2020 by one Mr. Muralidharan Kumar
Quote
“MURALIDHARAN KUMAR
Worst hospital…They will eat you fully if slightly close your eyes…Something fishy is happening inside…They
have link with some private hospital and doing malfunction in all test results…Beware of this hospital”
Unquote
2. Of late there have been such bad reviews posted at least once in a fortnight. This is the latest posted on 10 th
Aug’20. There are 2 ways of dealing with such bad reviews. We can ignore this or reply in general terms. The
general opinion is that we should not ignore it. We should respond quickly, preferably within 24 hours and
offer to fix the issue. This particular review is not specific and one could only presume or surmise that it must
be this patient or that patient.
3. 2 instances have been reported by the Reception desk about complaints and shouting, one about the delay
in giving the COVID-19 test results and the other when we had requested for another sample when the testing
agency report that the test is inconclusive. These 2 incidents have been mentioned as the review had
mentioned that,
“They have link with some private hospital and doing malfunction in all test results”
Presuming that this might have provoked the reviewer, a reply has been attempted.
Reply:
In the absence of any specific instance, which had provoked you in posting this review, it has been presumed
that this might have to do with COVID-19 testing.
Samples are collected and sent from all patients’ intending to get treatment as in-patients, to PIMS Hospital,
which is a Govt approved testing centre. Sometimes PIMS will return with “No Result” and indicate that the
test results are inconclusive and request for fresh sample.
Invariably Patients’ get upset when we request for fresh sample and tend to associate this with a feeling that
this is being done deliberately. We understand the psychological pressure, one has to undergo especially while
waiting for COVID-19 test result. This hospital has no tie up with the testing agency and has no role other than
helping the patients.
However, if you could mention specific instances we will be able to address these appropriately.
--------------
4. ED may please see for opinion as to whether this could be sent or a modified version can be sent.
General Manager
Executive Director
Dated 14th Aug 2020
NOTE
Sub: Google Review Dated 12th Aug’20 - Reg
There was a bad google review posted on 10-9-2020 by one Mr. Muralidharan Kumar
Quote

Panneerselvam Muthukumarasamy
2 days ago, *
Reply
Unquote
2. Though this reviewer has not mentioned the reasons as to why he had rated us “*” it is better we reply to
his review. A draft reply has been attempted.
Reply:
“We strongly believe that there must be some reason for you to rate us “ * “. If you could share your views it
might help us in improving the quality of service. You could send us a mail or contact our Reception Desk and
leave a message. “
3. ED may please see for opinion as to whether this could be sent or a modified version can be sent.
General Manager --Sd--
Executive Director
(He is on Facebook, working in Neyveli NLC)